Environmental Analysis of Waste Cable Recycling Process using a Life Cycle Assessment Method

Mi-Sun Jang; Hyo-Su Seo; Hee-Won Park; Yong-Woo Hwang; Hong-Yoon Kang

doi:10.7844/kirr.2022.31.1.37

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2022 Vol.31, Issue 1 Preview Page Next Page

Research Paper

Environmental Analysis of Waste Cable Recycling Process using a Life Cycle Assessment Method 전과정평가기법을 활용한 폐전선 재자원화 공정의 환경성 평가

28 February 2022. pp. 37-45

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Abstract

The development of the electrical, electronic, and telecommunication industries has increased the share of electricity in total energy consumption. With the enforcement of the Act on the Promotion of the Development, Use, and Diffusion of New and Renewable Energy in 2021, the mandatory supply ratio of new and renewable energy is expected to expand, and the amount of waste cables generated in the stage of replacing and discarding cables used in the industry is also expected to increase. The purpose of this study was to quantify the environmental burden of waste cable recycling through the life cycle assessment (LCA) method. The results showed that the higher the amount of glue contained in the waste cable, the greater was the amount of fine dust and greenhouse gases generated. In addition, by assigning weights to 10 environmental burden items, it was confirmed that the marine aquatic eco-toxicity potential (MAETP) and human toxicity potential (HTP) had the greatest environmental burden. The main causes were identified as heptane and ethanol, which were the glue contained in the waste cable and the cleaning solutions used to remove them. Therefore, it is necessary to refrain from using glue in the cable production process and reduce the environmental burden by reducing the use of waste cable cleaning solutions used in the recycling process or using alternative materials.

Keywords

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

Waste Cable

Fine Dust

Green House Gases (GHG)

Environmental Burden

전기·전자·통신 산업의 발전은 총 에너지 소비에서 전력이 차지하는 비중을 증가시켰다. 2021년 「신에너지 및 재생에너지개발·이용·보급촉진법」의 시행으로, 신재생에너지의 의무공급비율이 확대될 전망이며, 해당 산업에서 사용되는 케이블의 교체 및 폐기단계에서 발생하는 폐전선의 양도 증가할 그것으로 예상한다. 본 연구에서는 전과정평가(LCA)기법을 통해 폐전선 재자원화 공정이 환경에 미치는 영향을 정량화하는 것을 목적으로 하였다. 연구결과, 폐전선 내 함유된 접착제의 함량이 높을수록 미세먼지와 온실가스의 발생량이 증가하는 것으로 나타났다. 또한, 10가지 환경영향범주에 가중치를 부여한 결과, 해양생태독성(MAETP)과 인간독성(HTP)에서 가장 환경 영향이 큰 것으로 확인되었다. 두 영향범주의 주된 원인은 폐전선에 포함되는 접착제(Glue)와 이를 세척하기 위해 사용되는 세척제의 성분인 헵탄(Heptane), 에탄올(Ethanol)로 파악되었다. 따라서 전선의 생산과정에서 접착제의 사용을 자제하고, 재자원화 공정에서 사용되는 폐전선 세척액의 사용량 감축 또는 대체물질의 사용을 통해 환경부하를 감축할 필요성이 있다고 판단된다.

키워드

전과정평가(LCA)

폐전선

미세먼지

온실가스

환경부하

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ISO 14040, 1997.

Information

Publisher :The Korean Institute of Resources Recycling
Publisher(Ko) :한국자원리싸이클링학회
Journal Title :Resources Recycling
Journal Title(Ko) :자원리싸이클링
Volume : 31
No :1
Pages :37-45
Received Date : 2021-12-06
Revised Date : 2022-01-10
Accepted Date : 2022-01-14
DOI :https://doi.org/10.7844/kirr.2022.31.1.37

Resources Recycling ISSN:2765-3439(Print) 2765-3447(Online) 자원리싸이클링

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